The state of unequally distributing resources, opportunities, and privileges among people or groups within a society is referred to as inequality.
It can take many different forms, including racial inequality, gender inequality, financial disparity, educational inequality, healthcare inequality, and income inequality. Inequality can harm people and societies, such as restricting social mobility, fueling societal strife, and impeding economic expansion.
According to research done by Oxfam in 2020, the wealthiest 10% of Indians held roughly 74% of the country’s wealth. The wealth gap between the rich and the poor has always been a major contributor to India’s subsisting inequality. Even though India’s CRI rank has increased from 129 to 123in the year 2022, but India still needs a lot of work in eradicating inequality among the masses.
Dimensions of Inequality
- Economic Inequality: Inequality in the economy is the term used to describe how people and groups are distributed unequally among income, wealth, and resources.
- Education: When it comes to access to education and educational outcomes, such as academic performance and graduation rates, there are inequalities across individuals and groups.
- Healthcare inequality: This term refers to variations in individuals’ and groups’ access to healthcare services and health outcomes. Unhealthy access to services and disparities in health outcomes among people and groups are referred to as healthcare inequality.
- Social Inequality: Social status, power, and prestige disparities between people and groups that are caused by things like gender, race, ethnicity, religion, and caste.
- Gender inequality: The term “gender inequality” describes disparities in people’s chances, rights, and treatment based on their gender. Such are inadequate access to health, education, and employment; violence; and unfair remuneration. Despite progress, India’s gender parity was ranked poorly in the WEF report published in July 2022, at 135th place. As per the Global Gender Gap Index Report 2020 published by the World Economic Forum, India ranks 112 out of 153 countries with a score of 0.668 out of 1
Consequences of Inequality
- Economic: Reduced social mobility, slower economic growth, and an increase in poverty are all effects of inequality. When a small number of individuals control a sizable percentage of the money and resources, it may be challenging for others to access the tools and opportunities necessary to raise their economic standing.
- Social: Transgender, SC/ST, OBC, Specially-Abled, Tribals and Religious minority groups frequently experience a sense of marginalisation as a result of social inequality. Because minorities in India have a significant population and are thus less likely to participate in mainstream society, the GDP growth of the entire country is put at risk by their economic marginalisation. Due to injustices, different ethnic movements have even called for independent states, autonomous areas, or also complete secession from India. Disparities often also boosts crime rates and anti-social activities.
- Public Health: Public healthcare suffer when there is significant economic disparity. Both physical and emotional health can be negatively impacted. Living in poverty or having limited access to healthcare increases the likelihood of having poor health outcomes, and the stress and instability brought on by these conditions can also worsen mental health issues.Medical tourism in India will reach US$ 42,237.47 million by 2032, according to the report ‘India Tourism Market Outlook (2022-2032)’. The same source reports that Indian medical tourism accounts for around 6.5% of the global market.India is emerging as a top medical tourism destination in Asia. This is the Urban India but the Rural India still faces difficulties accessing adequate medical treatment. Even bais health facilities are far available.
- Education: Access to school and academic achievement can vary depending on the degree of inequality. Access to high-quality education, resources, and assistance may be limited for kids from underprivileged families, which may have an effect on their academic performance and future chances.People with minimal education and skills can also be a part of the cycle of poverty and inequality if they do not have equitable access to education. Urban India has all the latest educational facilities and Private School that gives world-class education. While Rural India still depends on Government School, where they don’t even get basic educational kits and teachers.
- Political: Political instability can result from inequality and threaten democratic rule. The interests of the larger population may be put at risk when a small number of people wields an excessive amount of power and influence. As a result, people who feel left out may lose faith in democratic institutions and feel like they have no voice. There have been a lot of Protests against the Givernemnt because of this disparity throughout history to till date.
Government Initiatives
- Beti Bachao Beti Padhao: Aiming to advance gender equality and combat violence and prejudice against women, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) is a programme initiated by the government. It focuses on enhancing the status of girls through supporting their education, health, and nutrition and attempts to foster an environment that is supportive to the growth of both girls and women. The government has also launched the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana to provide financial support for the education and marriage of girls.
- Samagra Shikhsa Abhiyaan: Since the right to an education is one of one’s fundamental rights, the government has established the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan to offer integrated educational services from preschool to senior secondary levels, with an emphasis on giving children from underprivileged families access to a high-quality education. The major objective of the programme is to aid States in putting into effect the 2009 Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act.
- Ayushman Bharat: This initiative seeks to give access to healthcare services and financial security for medical costs for all households in India. It mostly targets the most vulnerable members of society, such as women, kids, and the elderly.
- MGNREGA: Rural households in India have a legal guarantee for up to 100 days of paid employment each year thanks to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana was also introduced by the government to encourage businesses to hire more people, particularly those from economically disadvantaged groups.
- Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna: The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) strives to provide affordable housing to all residents, especially those from vulnerable and marginalised areas of society, and offers subsidised housing to economically disadvantaged groups.
- The Skill India Mission: The Skill India Mission seeks to train young people in skills and increase their employability, particularly in fields that are essential to the development of the nation.
